Harry Potter and the Transfers of Golden
by RumGinny
Summary: -Takes place after book 5- -ch 1&2 added 6/27- The attacks begin, mysterious visitors to Hogwarts, and, of course, an action-packed ending.
1. Chapter One :: The Burrow

Chapter One

The Burrow

"Thank you for letting me stay again this summer," Harry said politely to Mrs. Weasley as he looked around the house. The Burrow never ceased to interest him. He could not fathom the wonder what it would be like to live in such a lovely place. Harry could also not help wondering if all wizard homes were so interesting.

"Oh, you're quite welcome." Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly at the sixteen-year-old boy. "And Happy Birthday, dear." She added fondly. It was true, he had just turned sixteen that exact day. It was almost the beginning of the schoolyear, and Harry was thrilled to receive a birthday present as wonderful as being able to stay at the Weasleys for the rest of the summer, instead of the small, cramped home of his aunt and uncle at Number Four, Privet Drive.

Harry returned her smile and thanked her again before running up the stairs to see Ron. On his way to Ron's room, he almost knocked into Ginny (he couldn't see her due to the occupied owl cage in front of his face). 

"Oh, I am sorry, Harry!" Ginny gave him a small, sympathetic smile and then ran off down the stairs. Harry didn't know why she was in such a hurry. It sort of reminded him of how she would act around him a few years ago, when she had been so smitten with him that she had hardly been able to stand his presence. But he knew that those days were long gone, and it wasn't too entirely much of a concern to him. He continued on his way up the stairs to Ron's room.

When he finally arrived there, he knocked once. "C'mon it!" Ron's voice, growing ever deeper every year, called from inside the room.

Harry opened the door (how he managed with a large trunk and heavy owl cage in his arms, he'll never know) to find Ron, Fred, and George leaning over something, all huddled together.

"What are you three up to now?" Harry asked, laughing to himself. 

"The _Daily Prophet_, what else?" Fred gave Harry an obvious look, and then turned back to the article they'd been inspecting. "I just can't get over it!" He sat down beside Ron in a slump. 

"It's completely unusual. At least, it didn't happen last time. Did it?" Ron asked, agreeing with his brother, completely confused.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, walking over to them.

"Honestly, Harry, don't you still get the _Pro_- Harry?" Suddenly, Ron seemed to realize who he was talking to. He dropped the paper on the bed and ran over to his friend, taking his owl cage and placing it on a nearby table. He opened the cage and allowed Hedwig to join Pigwidgeon. Harry set his trunk down and pushed it against a wall. 

"Happy Birthday, Harry." Fred and Georeg said at the same time. 

"Yeah! Happy birthday!" Ron added with a sheepish grin. 

Harry grinned back. "Thanks." He followed Ron back over to the bed, where he'd deserted the copy of the _Daily Prophet_, and where Fred and George were sitting (and George was flipping through the paper, disappointed to find that he'd read every article on whatever subject interested them so). 

"What are you so interested in, now?" Harry turned his head sideways to peer at the paper, and the front page's contents caused him to jump, his eyes wide. He looked at Ron, horrified. "_No…_"

"Haven't you heard, Harry? It's You-Know-Who's first attack since… well, since that day in the Ministry of Magic, in June!" Ron shoved the paper at him and Harry began to read.

**__**

Attack at School

The end of Golden

Students and teachers at the American wizarding school, Golden Education of America's Witches and Wizards, were taken by surprise last Tuesday. An attack by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his remaining followers that have not been taken captive in Azkaban murdered a total of ten of the fifteen teachers, and injured the other five. Twenty-seven students were killed, seventeen have been left in critical condition, and thirty-two more had minor injuries. The branch of the Ministry of Magic in that area sent thirty-five members, twenty-two of which are dead; the remaining in critical condition.

After three hours of attack, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers fled somewhere unknown. 

The headmaster of Golden, Sanity Mayermore, 79, was not present at the time of the attack. But upon her return that evening, she assumes they were searching for something. "Though there was much damage, however, nothing was stolen. Whatever they were looking for they did not find." 

In the meantime, Golden Education for American Witches and Wizards has been shut down immediately. Reopening is highly unlikely, but if it should indeed happen, further details will be promoted. 

(_For more information on the victims, page 4-5. The aftermath and current status of what was once Golden Education for American Witches and Wizards can be found on page 7.)_

Between the title and the article was a picture of a large building, half of it up in flames. One section of the roof had caved in, and hundreds of witches and wizards were crying and inspecting the damage done. Families and friends of the survivors were hugging and sympathizing, thankful they were all alive. 

Harry looked up at Ron with wide eyes. "W-what could Voldemort have been looking for?" He asked in horror. At the sound of his name, all three Weasleys winced.

Ron shrugged, and George began to speak. Harry whirled around to face him. "No one knows. We can't even figure out what they were doing out of the country."

" 'Suppose he thought news might not've reached them about his return, yet." Fred shrugged. Harry whipped around to face the other Weasley twin now, still in a slight panic. "They had, but they weren't very well prepared, were they?"

"How could they've been? What do you expect them to've done?" Ron pointed out. Harry and the twins agreed. 

"So, where is he now? Is he back in England? Is he still in America?" Harry asked.

George clapped a hand on his shoulder, and Harry turned his head to look at him again. "Didn't you read the article, mate? No one knows where he's gone." 

"He could be anywhere." Fred agreed, and Harry turned around one more time before the door was opened. All of the boys looked up in surprise as Hermione came bounding in, two trunks in either hand, Crookshanks right on her heels, tail swinging gently back and forth.

"Ron! Harry, Happy Birthday!" Harry and Ron jumped up and greeted her with loose hugs. "How has your summer been? Bearable, I hope, Harry?" Hermione gave him a knowing grin, and he laughed a little, the thoughts of Voldemort and the other Death Eaters hid in another corner of his head until their return to school.


	2. Chapter Two :: Make New Friends, but Kee...

Chapter Two

Make New Friends, but Keep the Old

The Great Hall was packed full when Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny entered it, walking toward the Gryffindor table. They'd come toward the back of the pack, and therefore, everyone else, it seemed, was already there, taking their seats and catching up with friends about their holiday. Harry and his friends' eyes skimmed the table at the front of the Hall where the staff sat. Hagrid was present this year, which was a good, healthy change from last year. Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout... all familiar faces peered back at them, or chatted amongst themselves. And then Harry saw him. Probably at the same time as Hermione, judging by her sharp intake of breath just a moment after Harry's eyes practically bulged out of his head...

Remus Lupin was sitting at the staff table, two from the end. He took a sip from his goblet, peering back at Harry and Hermione calmly. His eyes were perfectly friendly, though he was not smiling. "Lupin's back! Ron, look!" Harry, Hermione, and Ron all waved, and Lupin nodded back, a small smile finally setting across his lips. 

"What could he be doing back? I thought... because of the werewolf thing, and all..." Ron began.

"Ever since the Ministry flipped back onto Dumbledore's side, and that awful Umbridge woman left them, I suppose Dumbledore had a rather simple time getting him back." Hermione guessed thoughtfully, pursing her lips together for a moment. "You do think he's back for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, don't you?" 

"He has to be, because the only other people up there that we don't recognize..." Ginny's voice trailed off and all of their eyes looked at the seats beside Lupin. Two blonde girls, who looked as though they couldn't be any older than Ron, Harry, and Hermione themselves, were chatting excitedly, nervous expressions on their faces.

"Blimey..." Was all Ron could manage to mutter, his eyes officially glued to the two mysterious girls sitting at the staff table.

"Who could they be?" Harry screwed up his face in concentration. As he looked at them, he felt his scar burn and rubbed it lightly. 

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked, her eyes widening.

"Yes... yes, I'm alright. It happens all the time..." It was just coincidence that he had been staring at two people he'd never met before this particular time, wasn't it? "Who _are_ they?" He asked again.

Hermione shrugged and shook her head lightly. "I don't know." 

The sorting was over, and Dumbledore stood up, tapping his goblet lightly with his spoon. "Attention... Can I have your attention please? First years, welcome. Everyone else, welcome back. This year we have an old Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who you may remember from a few years ago. Please welcome back Professor Remus Lupin." Everyone clapped, and Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny competed to be the loudest. Once the applause cleared up, Dumbledore continued.

"I would also like to introduce you to two new students who will be joining us from the American school, Golden Education for American Witches and Wizards. They've already been sorted, prior to your arrival. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, please welcome your newest additions." The two girls that Harry and Hermione had wondered about before stood up, smiling nervously. "Sarah, Julie, you may join your new houses. And please, I stress that you try to treat my niece and her friend with as much kindness as you would your usual students. They have been through... quite a lot..." 

The shorter girl's smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared. The taller girl was still smiling, but it was clearly (and painfully) forced. The shorter girl was the first to push her chair back in and start toward the house tables, and the taller girl followed. The shorter one took a seat on the end of the Ravenclaw table, where her fellow housemates welcomed her kindly. The other girl took a seat on the end of the Hufflepuff table, where everyone immediately jumped up to greet her. Friendliness is, after all, a popular strength amongst Hufflepuffs. And soon her smile became much less forced; much less forced, indeed. 

But at the sound of relation to Dumbledore, everyone had broken out in whispers. "Dumbledore's _niece_?" Ron looked very confused.

"It makes perfect sense!" Hermione whispered back. "Golden was that school in America that Voldemort- oh, come off it, honestly...- and the Death Eaters invaded and attacked! They've probably lost family, and friends. And if Dumbledore's one of their uncles, it's easy to understand why they'd come to live with him. And they have to attend a new school; Golden closed, remember?" 

"Okay, but which do you suppose is his niece? And besides, why is the other one there, too?" Harry asked, admitting that Hermione made perfect sense (_again)._

"Does it matter which is his niece?" Hermione asked. And Ginny picked up right where she left off.

"Probably the other girl has nowhere else to go." She let out a pitiful sigh. "How absolutely _dreadful_. Can you _imagine_?"

"And naturally Dumbledore was willing to take her in. Especially if the two girls were friends. _Are_ friends." Hermione added, correcting herself.

"They're bloody gorgeous..." Ron muttered, his eyes still glued to them. Dumbledore had begun to speak again, but no one, it seemed, was listening. Not even Hermione. 

In fact, at Ron's most recent comment, her face flushed. "Honestly, Ron! Is that all you can think about?" She demanded hotly.

However, Ron wasn't yanked out of his stupor, not yet. "Maybe it is..." Even if he was still entranced by them, he had still heard her words clearly, and the tips of his ears grew redder and warmer.

"Think about all they must've gone through! Think of what they must be _going _through! _Honestly_!" Hermione's face was very red now, and she continued to argue with him all through the feast that night. However, Ron hardly seemed to argue back, until the two girls were out of sight and everyone was headed back to their common rooms. 

The argument continued all the way up the stairs, following two students in Ginny's grade who had been pronounced prefects as well. (Ginny hadn't been very disappointed when she didn't get her own letter, announcing her as a prefect. But she had certainly pretended to be quite distressed when around her mother, who cared probably three times as much as she did, anyway. And it was quite a relief when Ron, Harry, and Hermione had discovered that Malfoy was not Head Boy. Hermione, surprisingly, hadn't been pronounced Head Girl. This had distressed her madly at first, but she had gotten over it. She decided to concentrate on her N.E.W.T. classes in honor to get only the highest scores possible when they finally got around to taking them the next year.)

Harry ignored them as best as he could. Last year, he could remember how strongly it had bothered him that they were constantly at each other's throats. This year, however, he didn't even begin to get involved. He had thought he had detected something behind Hermione's annoyance today, and he didn't want to overstep any boundaries. Instead, he kept his mouth shut and walked about two paces ahead of them, until they reached the common room.

"Thestral snout," one of the new prefects told the Fat Lady, and she smiled at them, welcoming the first years and wishing everyone luck in their new year at Hogwarts, and the picture frame swung open. 

As Harry crawled into the common room, just ahead of Hermione and Ron, he heard Hermione ask, "Isn't that right, Harry?" in a demanding sort of tone. 

"Hmm? Oh, sure..." Harry shrugged it off. He hadn't been paying attention.

"See?" Hermione said triumphantly as Harry slumped onto the couch, in a spot beside the one Ginny was already sitting.

"He wasn't even paying attention! Were you, Harry?" Ron insisted. Harry rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Ginny gave him a small smile, and she looked strangely like Percy. Harry kept this to himself, knowing it would only upset them, because Percy still refused to have anything to do with them, and returned the smile uneasily back. He had a strange feeling, although he wasn't sure what it was. But he was positively certain it had something to do with those two girls. He couldn't get over how the first time he looked at them, and one of them had returned his gaze, his scar had begun to burn...


End file.
